Shuttle tension



June 10, 1930. ADAMS 1,763,547

SHUT TLE TENS I ON Filed April 9, 1928 Patented June 10, 1930 FRED E.ADAMS, OF PRDVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB TO ,U. S. BOBBIN 85 SHUTTLECOMPANY, 015 PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLANDSHUTTLE Application filed April 9,

This invention pertains to loom shuttles and more particularly to a yarntension device applicable to a self-threading shuttle eye of usual type.It is very desirable, usual, and in most cases necessary, particularlywhen dealing with hard, wiry, or stiff yarns which tend to balloon offfreely from the end of the bobbin,to provide restraining means forpreventing the uncontrolled escape of the yarn through the shuttle eyewith consequent snarling and breakage of the yarn and im perfectweaving. "While some such restraining or tension means is in mostinstances es sential to satisfactory operation of the shuttle, it is notan easy matter to provide adequate tension means in the limited spaceavailable, especially in a shuttle having an eye of self-threading typewhere the tension device must not interfere with automatic threading. Acommon form of tension device employed in shuttle eyes of this characterconsists simply of a piece of felt or other friction material over whichthe yarn drags, but such an arrangement is not at all certain in itsaction, provides no positive or regulable control of the yarn, does notalways exert the same tension or drag in both directions of movement'ofthe shuttle, and varies in its frictional resistance to the movement ofthe yarn in accordance with atmospheric conditions and its length ofuse. The inadequacy of this type of tension is especially evident whendealing with smooth, hard or wiry yarns, for example twisted silk.

I am aware that true tension devices, as distinguished from mere feltpads or the like, have been suggested for use in shuttles, but most suchdevices known to me have proven inadequate, either through interferencewith the automatic threading operation, lack of adj ustability to permitvariation of tension or to accommodate yarns of different diameters, orby reason of complexity of construction with attendant excessive cost,and espe cially in their inability long to withstand th cutting actionof fine and hard yarns and the diii'iculty of replacing worn parts.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a tension deviceapplicable to selfthreading shuttle eyes of a well-known type,

TENSION 1928. Serial No. 268,508.

without necessitating substantial modification of the latter, and whichdoes not in the least interfere with or delay the threading operation;which is readily adjustable to vary the tension or to accommodate yarnof different numbers; which exerts a positive, unvarying, andpredetermined pressure and drag upon the running yarn; which exertssubstantially the same tension on the yarn in either direction ofmovement of the shuttles; which is very simple and inexpensive toconstruct and apply, and whose yarn-engaging parts may readily bernadeof extremely hard and wear-resistant material, and which, if eventuallyworn, may be replaced quickly and without difficulty.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodimentof the inyention' by way of example and in the draw ings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing the eye-end of aloom shuttleprovided with a self-threading eye embodying the present invention Fig.2 is a side elevation of the shuttle of Fig. 1, showing the lateralyarn-delivery opening;

F 3 is a side elevation, from the same side as Fig. 2. showing theshuttle eye re moved from the shuttle body;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the shuttle eye from the opposite side;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, to larger scale, on the line 55 of Fig. 1,with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the upper, movable, tension element;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the lower tension element;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing another form of lower tensionelement, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views-illus trating, respectively, otherforms of upper tension element.

Referring to the drawings, the shuttle body 1, which may be of wood orof other suitable material, is furnished as usual with the pointed endcap 2 and with the bobbin cavity 3 in which is arrangedthe bobbin 4supporting the yarn mass 5. The shuttle body is also provided with acavity 6 for the reception of the removable, self-threading shuttle eye7, and one side wall of this cavity is furnished with the lateraldelivery opening 8, provided, as is usual, with wear-resist ant guideposts 9 and 10'at its opposite sides. A bolt 11 normally retains themetallic shuttle eye 7 in proper position in the usual manner. I

The shuttle eye 7 (Figs. 3 and 4;) is here shown as of substantiallyusual construction, comprising the base portion 12 having a longitudinalpassage or channel 12 forthe yarn Y, and an upperpart comprising theoverhanging guard member 13 spaced from the side wall of the yarn guidechannel to provide the usual lateral entrance to said channel; thelateral-horn 14 which fits into a suitable recess in the shuttle'body;and the forward horn 15 which assists in guiding the thread into thethread passage. The upper part of the shuttle eye also carriesadepending guide prong 16 at its forward end, while the side wall of thethread guiding channel is furnishedat its forward end, beyond the end ofthe channel, with an upstanding guard portion 17.

In accordance with the present invention I cut away a portion of thebase12 of the shuttle eye to provide a rabbetor recess at 18.

v I then provide a lower tension elemen-t,.preferably-consisting of aplate or block 20, constituting a yarn support, such block or platebeing cut away. to provide athin portion 19 which fits into the rabbetor recess 18 in the base of theshuttle eye, anda shoulder 21 which fitssnugly against the forward surface .22 of the base 12 of the shuttleeye. Preferably the shoulder 21 comprises an inclined or diagonalportion 23 which engages the forward edge of the part 17. The upper edgeof the shoulder portion23 is preferably roundedv or beveled to assist inguiding the thread beneath the upper tension element, hereafterdescribed. The body or thick portion of the yarn support is furnishedwith a smooth upper surface constitutingthe yarn support proper which ispreferably slightly above'the bottom of the yarn channel in the base 12.This block is preferably made. of alloy steel or some similar substance,preferably h'eat-treated to make it very hard, and capable ofwithstanding the cutting action of the rapidly moving yarn. The yarnsupport 20 is placed in the cavity of the shuttle body, restingfirmly onthe-bottom 6 of the cavityand being retained in position solely byjthesuperposed shuttle eye.

The block '20 is furnished with .a vertical. opening 24 for thereceptionof the lower end .ofa hard andwear-resistant ;.-guide pin 25..

This pin25 is provided witha cylindrical head ,26 .ofilarger diameter;than the lower pantiof the pin, thereby providing a shoulder at thepoint 27. The head 26 .is screw threaded and engages an internallyscrewthreaded opening 28 in the upper part of the shuttle eye 7 at apoint such that the. axis of the pin is disposed substantially in thevertical longitudinal plane of the prong 16,

means of which the pin maybe adjusted vertically. The axis of the pin isalsosubstantially in the vertical plane extending transversely of theshuttle through the center of the delivery opening 8, and this pindefines the point in the yarn path where the yarn makes an abruptsubstantially right angular turn on its way to the delivery opening.Preferably the pin is of such length that its lower end indents the woodof the shuttle body, 'thus providing a bearing which steadies the pinand the tension elements.

The yarn is pressed against the upper surface of the yarn-supportingblock 20 by means of an upper tension element 30. This upper tensionelement comprises an annular lower part or friction-shoe 31, preferablyprovided with a substantially flat andzsmooth under surface, and havinga central opening for the passage of the pin 25. The upper portion ofthis opening is enlarged to furnish a -.socket'32:for the reception of aresilient element 33. This resilient element may be a coil spring orother suitable device, butas here shown consists of a short section ofrubber tubing which slipped onto the pin 25 and bears at its upper endagainst the shoulder 27, and at its lower end against the bottom of thesocket 32. The member 30 is concentric with the pin or post 25andimmediatelybehind prong 1'6 and is of such diameter that it does notsubstantially restrict the "lateral entrance to the yarn channel.

The upper tension element 30 also comprises an upstanding guide portion34, which ishere shown as a thin cylindrically curved shell ofsubstantially semi-circular extent whose upper portion preferablyembraces and slidablv engages a boss 7 on the shuttle eye. This guidemember 34 is disposedin spaced relation to the guard member 17 abovereferred to, and serves as a guide for the venting the thread from.catching on the top of the shoe 31 as the thread moves verticallybetween the shuttle wall and the shuttle eye. I

ably the lower edge or junction of the fiat thread during the threadingoperation, preunder surface and curved. peripheral surface beneath theshoe.

The position of the pin 25 is so chosen, as above described, that a yarndisposed between the members 20 and. 31 makes a substantiallyright-angle turn in passing around the pin and out through the deliveryopening 8.

When the yarn Y is drawn ofi' from the thread mass on the bobbin andpulled forwardly over the upper surfaces of the members 13 and 15, itslips down between the members 17 and 34 and into the yarn passage inthe base 12. The yarn is then drawn laterally between the shuttle bodyand the member 14 into the opening 8. The yarn now rests upon the uppersurface of the block 20, such surface being slightly above the bottom ofthe yarn passage, and in the horizontal plane of the delivery opening 8,and as tension is applied, the lateral pressure of the yarn aganst thebeveled edge 31 of the shoe 31 lifts the latter against the tension ofthe member 33 and permits the yarn to enter between the upper and lowertension elements and to wrap around pin or post 25. The beveling of theupper corner of the shoulder 23 also facilitates the entry of the yarnbeneath the shoe 31.

During the operation of the shuttle, the yarn is drawn ofi between themembers 20 and 31, and the resilient pressure of the member 33accurately determines the frictional resistance opposed to the movementof the yarn. By adjusting the height of the pin 26, the tension of themember 33 may be varied and thus the pressure on the yarn may be fixedas desired.

While the members 20, 25 and 30 are made of hard, wear-resistantmaterial, and are capable of withstanding a long period of wear, theseparts are readily replaced when worn merely by removing the metallicshuttle eye 7 from the shuttle body and slipping the parts 20 and 30from off the end of the pin 25. If the pin be worn it may now bewithdrawn, a new pin substituted and new parts 20 and 30 slipped ontothe lower part of the pin, and then the assembled structure is restoredto its position in the shuttle body.

In Fig. 8 the lower tension element is shown as a simple rectangularblock 20 having its upper edge 23 slightly rounded or bevelled. Thisform of block, rather than that of Fig. 7, may be used with some typesof shuttle eye.

In Fig. 9, the upper tension element 30 is substantially like that ofFig. 6 except that the guide member 343 is circular instead ofsemi-circular. This form may be preferred, when the eye is of a natureto permit its use, since it is somewhat easier to make than that shownin Fig. 6.

In Fig. 10 the upper tension element 30 is of substantially rectangularcontour, but

preferably has rounded edges to avoid cutting the yarn. I11 certaintypes of shuttle eye, this rectangular tension element is desirable.When elements of the type shown in Figs. 9 and 10 are to be used, theshuttle eye may be provided with complementary recesses to accommodatethese elements.

The parts constituting this new tension de' vice are of very simple formand easy to man ufacture and apply, they are light in weight and take upbut little room in the shuttle body and in no way interfere with theautomatic threading operation. Moreover the yarn is tensioned uniformly,regardless of the direction of motion of the shuttle, the tension doesnot vary with variation in weather conditions, and the tension device isreadily adjustable to accommodate yarns of a wide range of diameters.

While I have herein disclosed certain specific embodiments of theinvention by way of example, I wish it to be understood that variousother changes inshapes, proportions of parts, materials employed, andrelative arrangement of the parts, may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a shuttle eye of self-threading type, a tensiondevice comprising a pair of hard, wear-resistant, relatively movablemembers adapted to receive a yarn between them, and adjustable means forurging one of said members toward the other whereby to oppose the freemovement of the yarn, said members being independent of the shuttle eyeand freely removable and replaceable without disturbing the setting ofsaid adjustable means. j

2. A tension device for use with a weaving shuttle having a removableeye ofself threading type, said tension device comprising a pair ofrelatively movable yarn-engaging elements disposed below the shuttle eyein a cavity in the shuttlebody and retained in position solely by thesuperposed shuttle eye.

3. A. tension device for use with a weaving shuttle having a removableshuttle eye, said device comprising a wear-resistant yarn support whichseats in a cavity in the shuttle body, a friction-shoe movable towardand from the support, and means carried by the shuttle eye for holdingsaid support and shoe in proper relative position.

4:. A. tension device for use in weaving shuttles comprising a pair ofhard and wear-- resistant members having opposed flat surfaces betweenwhich the yarn passes in an angular path, andadjustable resilient meansfor urging one of said members toward the other, said members beingremovable without disturbing the setting of said adjustable means.

5. A tension device for use in a weaving shuttle, said device comprisinga yarn support, an annular friction-shoe having an undersurfaceengageable with a yarn resting on the support, said friction-shoe havinga socket in its upper side,-andresilient means seated in said socket andurgingthe shoe toward the support, and means for adjusting saidresilient means, thesupport and shoe being removable without changingthe setting of the A tension devicefor use in a weaving shuttle, saiddevice comprising a yarn supedge providing for the accommodation of theforward end of the sidewall of the'yarn channel.

10. In combination witha self-threading shuttle eye for weavingshuttles, said shuttle eye having a base provided with a longitudinalyarn guide channel provided with a vertical side 'wall, ayarn-supporting plate at the forward end of the channel, said plate having a part seated in a rabbetin the base of the shuttle eye and a bodyportion having an upper surface sli htly above the bottom of thechannel, said body portion havin a diagonal rear edge, and afriction-shoe having a fiat under surface opposed to the upper surfaceof the yarn-s11 porting plate,the diagonal edge of the b0 y portion ofthe plate being beveled to facilitate entrance of yarn between the plateand friction-shoe.

Signed by me at Providence, Rhode Island,

this sixth day of April, 1928.

FRED E. ADAMS.

port and a friction shoe, the shoeand support having aligned openings, apin passing through said openings and constituting a guide for the shoe,a resilient element encirclingthe pin andlbearing at one end against theshoe, the pin having a head providing an abutment for the other end ofthe resilient element, and means whereby the .pin may be adjustedlongitudinally whereby to vary the resilient pressure on the shoe, theyarn support and friction shoe being removable from the pin withoutchanging the adjustment of the pin.

port and a friction-shoe, the shoe and support having aligned openings,a pin passing through said openings and constituting a guide forthe-shoe, a section of rubber tubing encircling the pin and having itslower end seated in a socket in the shoe, the pin having an enlargedcylindrical head'against which the upper end of the tube abuts, theperipheral surface of the head of the pinbeing screw threaded forengagement with a threaded opening in a fixed part whereby'the positionof the pin may be adjusted, the yarn support and friction shoe beingremovable from the tension device for use in a weaving a shuttle, saiddevice comprising a yarn sup- 7 pin without changing the adjustment ofthe 9. In combination with a self-threading shuttle eye for weavingshuttles, said shuttle eye having a base provided with a longitudinalyarn guide channel provided with a vertical side wall, said wallextending forwardly beyond the end of the channel, a yarn-supportingplate at the forward end of the channel, said plate having a part seatedin a rabbet in the base of the shuttle eye and a body portion having anupper surface disposed slightly above the bottom of the channel, saidbody :portion having a diagonal ,rear

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